17 September 2017

The National - Sleep Well Beast

It
seems like it has been a really long time since the release of Trouble Will Fine Me by The National
(our review cleverly linked here), but it has only been just four years since
that fine record came out.Since that
record was released, the National have released a documentary film (Mistaken for Strangers), they have had
various side project and have appeared to have returned with their batteries
refreshed and the fruits of that labour have been released as Sleep Well Beast,
their seventh studio album.I have taken
a little longer to do my review as I wanted to give it time to sink in, to
absorb it.I read a few reviews,
including one by one of my colleagues over at Bearded Gentlemen Music (link to
that review here), which makes the comparison between them and Radiohead.I will go on about that one a bit at the end
of the review.Now, things have changed
in the four years since they released Trouble…,
how will we find the band?

01 – Nobody Else Will Be There

With the predictability of a Winter Solace, The National start off this album
with the minimalist “Nobody Else Will Be
There”, a song about love, distance and the hope of a connection.It is a gentle beast, one which takes a while
to sink in and even longer to distinguish what is going on.The sparse nature of the song makes its hard
to love, but it is a song with a broken charm that eventually starts to make
sense.But it is an empty opening to Sleep Well Beast, this does not bode
well for the rest of the album.

02 – Day I Die

We find The National in a reflective mood, considering the future and wondering
what it all holds for them, where they are going to be when Death comes
knocking.It is a familiar number from
them, similar in structure to “Bloodbuzz Ohio” and whilst it has a sense of
excitement to the song, it is not a gripping number and it is cursed with a
lethargic malaise.

03 – Walk It Back

A slow build about trying to piece together what is happening and what is going
on, with a sense of confusion and the mourning for the lost moments.This song is a slow builder that actually
makes a lot more sense the more you listen to it, but it is a difficult one and
at times it seems as if it is not worth the effort.You do get your rewards eventually with this song if your persevere with it, but
it is a stubborn little bugger.

04 – The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness

“The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness”
is a cryptic number, one which is so open to interpretation that it feels as
wide of the open skies of the desert.It
is a busy number (by The National’s own standards) and it is a very catchy
song, but there is still something that is not settling right on this one,
something that gives it a disengaged feeling.It might just be me, but for a lively song it feels a bit hollow.

05 – Born to Beg

The lethargic nature of the band is on display here, “Born to Beg” is a song
about begging for love and how it is in the nature of the person to follow
their lover and do anything for them.It
starts off quietly, builds and then suddenly there are two different songs
playing at the same time and the original fades into the void.It is a messy song, but it is also one that
gains my interest, one that makes a lot more sense than a few of the other
tracks on here.

06 – Turtle Neck

Now this is more like it, a song that feels as if the band have turned up.It has a punk ethic to the tune, one with a
ferial nature and a bite to the music as well.It is out of keeping with what they usually do, but it is also one that
makes so much sense when compared to the rest of the album.It is angry, it is bitter and it is full of
bile – where have this version of the band been hiding?

07 – Empire Line

“Empire Line” is a song which uses
the distance of a commuter journey to compare the strained feelings of a
relationship that is in danger of falling apart, one that is sadly not the
natural follow on the wonder “Fake Empire”
from Boxer.It is another song which I
would refer to as a builder, it is not easily accessible and it does take its
time to reveal itself.But this one is
worth the wait and it does have a beautiful soul, even if it is a song with a
damaged narrative at its core.

08 – I’ll Still Destroy You

With moments of Zappa strangeness, Bloc Party Electronic Indie and no sense of
clarity, “I’ll Still Destroy You” is a strange number that feels as if it is
all over the place.It never really
sinks together and I have a feeling that you would need to be in a specific
place/mood for this one to correlate into something wondrous.Sadly, for me it is just as strange now as it
was when I first started listening to it, which is such a shame . I usually love strange
music, but this one really does not have the consistency to sustain my interest.

09 – Guilty Party

With a sense of remorse, The National are really delving into the Electronica
side on “Guilty Party”, mixing the drum machine, the strings and sparse guitar
elements all being micromanaged to within an inch of its life.It is a strange one, but it is also one where
ambition has been met by the performance as well.It feels natural and fluid, there is a moment
that it feels as if it is in danger of falling apart, but it stays together and
it is a wonderful moment on this record.

10 – Carin At the Liquor Store

It seems as if this album is turning a corner as it approaches the bitter end,
with “Carin At the Liquor Store”
adding more miserable quality to this record.It is a song which has regret at its very core, with pain and misery the
only companions during this decent into a personal hell.It does not have more in the way of positives
in the emotional department, but it does have a hook that sinks in deep and it
is another track which is worthy of their name.

11 – Dark Side of the Gym

The penultimate song of this album is a tale of obsession, a doomed
relationship and the need to keep someone close & distant at the same
time.The music on this one is a little
weak, it feels secondary to the lyrics and as if they have been forced together
instead of growing together organically.It is a track which I am still stuck on the fence, it depends on the
mood if it appeals or not, so the jury is still out on this one.

12 – Sleep Well Beast

The National bring this album to a close with the title track and I can sort of see the
Radiohead comparison, the music is bizarre and sounds strange when compared to
normal ears.However, I am also hearing other artists, such as the brilliant Thomas Truax and some of the better moments of Bloc
Party.It is a sparse affair overall and it ends
the album on a bit of a confusing note, but it is not without interest. At the end of the day, this one has a sense of intrigue about it and it has more to offer than other pieces on Sleep Well Beast.

I think it might just be me, but I am not seeing the genius that everyone else
is with this album.If anything, it is
the poorest album that The National have released.It feels like it is trying to be inviting and
it is wanting to help you through the night, but there is something unlovable
about it and the feeling of being kept at arms distance that never really
dissipates.This is a shame as I cannot
fault the performance, they are good musicians and that has not changed with this record.But that is the only way I can think of describing
the feeling that this album gives me is this, the sense of darkest and strange yearning that is at the core of this record.For it, it is akin to this – You see pictures of people having a great time, looking so friendly and
they are living it large, but there is one person in the background that is
being ignored.You are that person and
whilst you are there at this party, it is not really happening for you and that
is Sleep Well Beast in a nutshell for
me.Also, the comparison to Radiohead
does not sit well for me by my colleague from Bearded Gentlemen Music (no offense
meant on that one), maybe that is because I have not always loved them
either.For me, the only way to compare
them to Radiohead is that they have become a band that lots of people love, but
they are also an act that leave a lot of people cold.If anything, I find them more akin to Bloc
Party on this record than Radiohead – they are trying something and it feels unnatural
and forced at times.Overall though,
this is an album which is played well with a few moments of brilliance, but it
is as warm and welcoming as an Antarctic winter walk, I think the beast must stayed
asleep on this one.

6 out of ten – Now, I see where you were going, but it is not quite there.

Welcome to the final round-up review of 2017! Similar to the Round-Up posts I put up earlier in the year, I’m going to be posting some bull...

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Album scoring system

0 - This is proof there is no deity1 - You're really are touching the bottom of the barrel with this one2 - If only there was some quality control3 - It could have been a bit better4 - Well it's alright, but still......5 -Not for everyone but played well6 - Now I see where you were going, but it's not quite there7 - This is good and well worth a check8 - Oh, now you have my attention and maybe my money, time and heart9 - Almost perfect....Almost10 - This is proof there is a deity(For albums that are too crazy to be marked)Crazy Cat symbol - This album cannot be marked, so here is a box of kittens

Singles/EP Marking System

0 - Only to be listened to by people bless with the gift of being deaf1 - Not so much on the bad that it is bottom of the barrel, but it can see the stuff down there2 - Not bad, not good - so average it is Zen3 - Decent, getting there4 - This is really good, well worth checking out5 - I wish I had extra ears to love this more(For Singles/EPs that are too crazy to mark)Crazy Cat symbol - This release cannot be marked, so here is a box of kittens